Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-02-05

supplies strength for bathlng anu
dressing, laborious and wearisome
tasks for the underfed, and is
better sspicme up" than any hack
|neyed Sstonic.n
Dishonest Lawyers.
The law has many times been
called q noble profession, aud It's
character and aims have been much
exalted, chiefly by lawyers. But
it has been so much used to pro-
mote ignoble ends that it c;ln hard
~ claim to stand higher in these
days than other pursuits of sinful
man.
A scrnpulous lawyer may be
justified in defending a case that
he knows to be bad or criminal that
be IL sure is guilty, for exact JUS
tice is not to be attained by Il one
sided trial. An accused person is
entitled to the protection OF all his
rights and to the best defence his
case admits of. But if Il lawyer
resorts to tricks aud crafty devices
to secure for his client more than
his right he ceases to be scrupu-
lous; but that has almost ceased to
be matter of ethical criticism.
In these later times, however,
The legal profession has received
some OF it's highest reward for con.
senting to promote absolute viola
lation Of Law and serious infractions
of private and public right. OF the
ethical character of that kind OF
practice there can be no Doubt
Aud it is a dcplorable fact that the
standard of Judgment has been so
demoralized that it is not at once
stamped by the profession as dis
honorable. The growth of corpo
rations and their control of large
material interests have had much
to do with the degradation OF legal
practice. Tie evils of stock wa
tering, ofrailroad wrecking, ofcom-
binatious, to defraud the innocent
and unwary and to enrich the un-
scrupulous and crafty, have grown
up under the guidance and ,belp of
Learned and astuts lawyy.2 81 VII sa !!
/. I'd. j i of tIGroA
islation in the interest and powt
d. full combinations and in derogati(
I'd of the interest Of the public al
ut the rights AT the people has bee
ed secured by the help Of able couns
and pushing attorneys, who had
eli regard for any consideration b
their own profit; and existing lay
~ have been successfully evaded
directly violated by the same a
IL Sistance.
LII the debauching OF legislator
by bribery to secure advantages
unscrupulous schemcrs the cobb,
OF has been largely made up OF la
yers or has had the benefit Of the
I'd direction. Dee Of the most 't;l
= ling features of the colossal CORFU
"a ton by which a franchise to run
railroad through the most inpol
a ant thoroughlares on this contIne
nd was obtained is the indication til
on the whole scheme was devised, q
lit rected and carried out under Il
,'s devices and guidance Of lawye
supposed to he reputable, who we
OF induced by large rewards to pc
id, form a service involving Violate
zee of law, corruption Of the public ST
Us vice and the promotion OF crime.
ut. If it is true that This was done
a the manner so strongly, ipdicat'
by circumstances and by evidcn(
as the lawyers concerned in it Dug
eel no longer to be regarded as rep
able. They have dissraced t
lid noble proiession," aud the prof
i'm sion as well as other people Dug
III. to take some notice OF it. II
in wishes to maintain any standa
it whatever Of ethics Or morals III t
practice Of law it should take oct
ia SION to declare such standard a.
rty do something for its ma;ntenan'
nv There are associations which not
mt nally have heen formed with
view to keeping up such astanda
and OF making it a high one.
I'D must be admitted that they ha
lid done little to carry out that p'
lot pose, but they have not yet Civ
up their pretensions. Unless I'd
10 take some stand in regard to t
he Ns corrupt and-unscrupnlous procet
III ings in which lawyers take a lea
,at ing part they might as well adm
that there is really no ethical sta
,as dard of legal practice and that e.
his ry lawyer is entitled to do anythl
~ = for which he is sufficiently pa
nd without loss of standing.
But the public has certain rigl
which are not i'll the keeping
: bar associations or determined
lno the standard OF practice VIII
lawyers set for themselves. Ii a
lawyer has been instrumental
causing any public officer to
bribed, any law to be violated, a
sys crime to be committed lie is III
IKE self guilty Of an otfense for Will
to he eau bs punished. 1t IS |
lch alone the man who gives bride
re- furnishes the money for brlbl
ais that is subject to the penalty.